Going back to a pre installed windows?

Hi im just wondering for future prefrences if i wanted to go back to my pre installed windows which came with my laptop could I?

My backup disks dont work for some reason i dont think they burnt correctly but say i got the instalation cd and used the serial on the bottom of my laptop would that work?

Regards Paul

Hi there
you MIGHT have a problem - these "recovery" disks are an abomination as they often don't work.

What happens is that there's a tiny hidden NON STANDARD boot partition which the recovery disk uses to re-build the image. Once you re-format the disk to install W7 or whatever you might delete the hidden partition and the recovery disks won't work again.

I think it should be ILLEGAL to sell a computer that has Windows (any version) installed without giving you the OS install disk -- you've paid for the license in any case when you nuy the computer.

What I would do is to get something like Acronis True Image and back up ALL the partitions so it will RESTORE again properly should you need to get back to the state you had it when you bought the computer.

I always totally 100% re-install an OS after buying a computer from a store - that way you can get rid of the HUGE amount of bloatware that's pre-installed on most of these systems anyway.


Cheers
jimbo

Jimbo is spot on - oem's should be required to provide proper installation media.

say i got the instalation cd and used the serial on the bottom of my laptop would that work?

If you want to go back to your previous version - you can use the installation media e.g. a proper vista installation dvd , and the product key from the sticker.

That key is the license you paid for.


Before you install, will probably need to visit the manufacturers website and download the specific drivers for your machine - that relate to the o/s you installing. You might need one or two of those - Vista ( or whatever your previous version was ) - might not already include all the drivers for your particular laptop.

Thanks for all of your help ill try and gain access of the disk or see if i can buy it somewhere it think it was vista home premium.

I also thhink there sahould be a download page fr all of this on microsoft website and then you can just simply put in your swerial number. Can be out of order to go out and buy the disk which you vertiually paid for before.

Regards Paul

paulpp said:

Thanks for all of your help ill try and gain access of the disk or see if i can buy it somewhere it think it was vista home premium.

I also thhink there sahould be a download page fr all of this on microsoft website and then you can just simply put in your swerial number. Can be out of order to go out and buy the disk which you vertiually paid for before.

Regards Paul

If I'm not mistaken, you might be able to buy the Vista disk now and be able to upgrade it to Windows 7. I believe I read that on New Egg or another online store. I would try the recovery disk first. If that works, then use one of the freeware programs to backup your system so you won't have to mess with the recovery junk anymore.

I just tryed my recovery disk booted it up but it says windows is loading files and then freezes half way through so i dont think it burned correctly.

Im egtting a bit confused atm, someone said i could backup my recovery or partition now?

How can i do this and what program do i use?

Regards Paul

Hi all

All OEM will provide proper installation media, you may pay for them.

This is MS RULES not OEM's.